No comments about Olympic Speed Skating.

1 comments about Full Circle:: An Olympic Champion Shares His Breakthrough Story.

1. Full Circle was a powerful work of signifigance. Deeply emotional, the book transcends Jansen's extraordinary battle as a parable of every athlete's struggle for personal developement. McCallum weaves an enduring tale that athlete, sports nut, or soccer mom can internalize to better understand the common struggle manifested by sports. More eloquent even than Shaq Attaq, Full circle is an accomplishment of aesthetics and moral comprehension.

No comments about Skating for Power & Speed: Hockey the NHL Way.

1 comments about A Basic Guide to Speed Skating (Olympic Guides).

1. This book is a must for one who
   wants too know about the sports, and
   those speedskaters, ice speedskaters,
   who competed at the olympics. it has
   so many chapters.
   recommended. also i must say that
   if you are looking for a training
   guide for ice speedskating, long track or short
   track. be sure to purchase Dianne Holum's book titled
   the complete book of speedskating[i believe i got the whole
   title right]. the book is rare, but it is considered the "Bible" of speedskating literature. it is a rare book. but get it.

No comments about My Favorite Christmas: Heartwarming Stories from Ricky Skaggs, Steven Curtis Chapman, Kurt Warner, President Jimmy Carter And Many Others.

1 comments about Eric Heiden Winner in Gold: Winner in Gold (Achievers.).

1. A little dated, as the text refers to what Heiden WILL be doing at the 1984 Olympics, but that takes nothing away from the story. In fact, the fact that you might already know that Heiden DID win 5 Olympic gold medals doesn't detract from the hold-your-breath-and-hope effect, either.
   
   Eric Heiden and his sister Beth are from Madison, Wisconsin. There, in grade school, they begin to skate. They are asked to leave a class for being too disruptive, a nice realistic touch for those readers whose rambunctious ways get them into trouble. That doesn't stop them and it seems nothing will when the siblings make the US Olympic speedskating team in 1976. The build up for each race is well-done and exciting. The photos in the book are black and white and vaguely amusing all these years later, for the adults.
   
   It's a great thing that this book, about Eric, doesn't overlook his sister. It would have been reasonable if it had; it's not about her. But making sure she got the notice in the book that she deserves seems to be in the right spirit for a book about a guy as humble as Eric is portrayed.
   
   There is a typo on page 6 - and a little math lesson comes with it! The 5,000 meter, it says, is 2.1 miles; later, the 10,000 meter is said to be over 6 miles. Not possible! But that's the nitpicking, hardly important. Important is that the book is exciting, interesting and motivating. Eric Heiden's "secret" for winning? Hard work!

3 comments about Complete Handbook of Speed Skating.

1. the information is pretty good. it tells one about the things that one must do to improve on his or her speedskating. i wish the book had alot more picture sketches and pictures of eric heiden at the world championships, etc. this book is recommended to those who speedskate and who want to improve when it comes to speed, and technique. one has to lift weights, sprint on the track and run long distance for endurance, and stretch alot.
   i have to say that any information on eric heiden is very mysterious, he is a mysterious man. nice. literature(the book)is recommended to all who practice this sport or fans who want too know the ways olympians did it in the past(training). you will hear of some commenting that this book is old, but this is just said because those dont want one to improve and want to be the only ones doing it. apply this information to your work out: lifting weights, running the sprints & long distances and having a positive attitude and you should do well when speedskating. very unbiased. holum is great!



2. the information is pretty good. it tells one about the things that one must do to improve on his or her speedskating. i wish the book had alot more picture sketches and pictures of eric heiden at the world championships, etc. this book is recommended to those who speedskate and who want to improve when it comes to speed, and technique. one has to lift weights, sprint on the track and run long distance for endurance, and stretch alot.
   i have to say that any information on eric heiden is very mysterious, he is a mysterious man. nice. literature(the book)is recommended to all who practice this sport or fans who want too know the ways olympians did it in the past(training). you will hear of some commenting that this book is old, but this is just said because those dont want one to improve and want to be the only ones doing it. apply this information to your work out: lifting weights, running the sprints & long distances and having a positive attitude and you should do well when speedskating. very unbiased. holum is great!



3. This is the classic authority on training for speedskating (written for ice, but with some applicability to indoor roller and outdoor roller). The book is full of clearly written analyses of form and technique on the ice, as well as a lengthy description (several chapters worth) of conditioning and training exercises. Lastly, the book talks about race strategy and uses detailed examples about 5-time Olympic gold medalist Eric Heiden. This is a very thorough book and is devoid of a lot of fluff and filler graphics--it's very "meat and potatoes".

   While the sections on training and race strategy could be interesting to athletes in other sports, it may be too sport-specific to be of interest.

No comments about Complete Handbook 0f Speed Skating.

5 comments about A Journey The Autobiography of Apolo Anton Ohno.

1. I was incredibly impressed by Apolo during the Olympics - not only is he an amazing athlete to watch in one of the best sports in the Olympics, but he was also gracious, seemed to know the real meaning of the games - participation and being in the moment as opposed to winning - and his celebration upon winning the silver moved me to tears but after reading the book, I didn't get the same feeling and I admit it left me disappointed. The book was not very well written and I half expected it to be since he had a co-author. Apolo seems to take himself a bit too seriously. He dwells on leaving home at age 14, something many kids do to go to boarding school and the like and I don't hear them whining. He also failed to take responsibility for his own health and injuries and appears to blame others for that. Yes, he was young, but it is clear he didn't have a hard time defying his father, which leads me to believe he was quite capable of speaking up for himself. I also didn't find his defense of the race fixing scandal very persuasive. In his interviews, Apolo seems very nice, unassuming and gracious but in the book he just didn't come across that way. Maybe he had too much of an axe to grind against his coaches and his accusers. I think he will regret publishing this. Sometimes it is best to write down how you feel and then put it away until you have come to terms with your feelings and then decide if you really want to share them or not and my guess is, in a few years, Apolo will regret sharing many of the ones he put in this book.



2. Spare & lean, this young man tells his story with aplomb & humor. Nancy Ann Richardson has not tampered with his way of expressing himself, allowing Apolo Anton Ohno to shine on through.

   A JOURNEY is as much a biography of a modern, unassuming hero as it is a tribute to a father's job well done.

   A must-read for anyone with a hunger for excellence, & a clue about self-awareness. A splendid read in which we catch glimpses of how one person, with many strikes against him, found something to pull him out of a typical city-bound boyhood, out of the terrible teens, out of obscurity to be the best at what he does.

   Apolo Anton Ohno can also add storyteller/author to his accomplishments. Highly recommended.




3. Apolo Anton Ohno is a great speedskater . . . and after reading the book I find that he has a pretty good potential for a writer too. After watching him in the 2002 Winter Olympics, I was intrigued with his story. This gives me something elso to build off of as well. He sets a good example for kids because he is a true good sport -- always with a "That's the sport. What happens happens" attitude. A great read.



4. This is a great story about Apolo and he writes the book so that you are able to feel like your are on the ice with him on every win and fall. You will really enjoy this book.



5. The book A Journey is inspirational to everyone that tries their hardest and loves the sport or other thing that you are trying to achieve. This book shows use the hardship of growing up and how we can trust our family for our problems. The thought of trying harder to be a success is always a part of all lives and should never be forgoten. This book will always be insiring and must be read by young and old.

5 comments about Speed on Skates: A Complete Technique, Training and Racing Guide for In-Line and Ice Skaters.

1. This is a great book for anyone involved in in-line or ice speedskating. Being a speedskater myself, I have had much success using the book. It is great for novice and elite skaters. The book offers a lot of information regarding techinique and training. I hope others have or will have as much success using this book as I have.

   A MUST-HAVE FOR ANY SPEEDSKATERS LIBRARY!!!




2. A must have. Loaded with information and great pictures. Also very technical training schedules for the serious skaters. Not too much for short trackers but still alot of useful skating information.



3. From the background I had during my competitive years in the sport of inline speedskating, I believe the book is a complete and technical guide to the basic terminology, strategy, and mechanics that are involved with speedskating; both on ice and inline skates. There is heavy usage on photographs to show you the correct way to skate to reach your potential but to achieve what is seen in the picture typically takes years of training with coaches to show you the ways to train your body to achieve the form and stride of an effecient inline skater.
   
   I also believe that some of the material is dated regarding the current face of the sport but the book is a staple in the sport and is a worthy look for outsiders and internally at the facets of the sport of inline and ice speedskating. For anyone interested in speedskating either on ice skates or inline skates, this book is the most comprehensive guide from a champion speedskater that covers most facets of the sport.



4. This book is thorugh and even those of us that are completely uneducated about athletics and how to improve in them can understand clearly what is written in this book. I was afraid it would be too technical but it caters to all levels of knowledge. I am very impressed. I plan to start impleting these practices very soon.



5. This book is like a personal trainer for inline (roller skating). I started reading this book in July 2006 and by August 2006 I was so much faster in inline skating. This is from someone who has never taken any lessons and started to skate on his own. I did the Northshore Inline (Duluth) half marathon later in Sept 2006 in 1 hour 6 mts (pretty impressive by my own standards). I keep referrring to it once in a while to keep up my training and speed.